The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-08-19

fore me, in the middle of the road
we'll, as you don't believe in 'em, you
may call it, anything you ~please-but
it was tall and white and waved Its
arms"
at was q negro going to his wife's
house and taking off his hat to you"
Precisely what Thought. But nay
horse was of a different opinion. It
was pitch dark after the fash, but
though / spurred him and dashed him
he did nothing bat back and snort
and tremble. Presently there came
another flash and there it was still,
slowly advancing and sawingits arms.
! demanded its name, | fercely order
ed it out of the road, while my horse
plunged and q~uivered in every nerve.
Do you know, ! think that horses
often imagine that they see ghosts?'
May had no sooner uttered these
words than Billup's horse, swerving
to the right, plunged violently forward
closely followed by Mays.
Billups could not explain thisfreak,
and May, although he might have
shed some light on the matter, neglect
ed to do so. The toe of his right loot
thrust violently into the flank OF Bill
lups mettlesome charger and held
there, had something TODD with it, no
doubt.
whats the matter with these
darned fools?" inquired May.
~ can't im.m-m-magine," chartered
BiIlups. 1t was growing very damp.
"TelI me the rest of the story"
"Well at last / dismounted, tied my
horse, grasped my stout whip handle
and advanced cautiously, awaiting q
flash. When one came the COMPOUNDED
thing stood facing me not three yards
of. 1t was MASKING its teeth. / could
hear them snap distinctly"
"Ogh! how chill the air isl Wha- wha-
wha.what did you do?"
II let drive at him, OF course, with
the butt OF my whip, 1t went through
him as though he were mere mist.
Ahother flash came a second later. 1t
had vanished. l fell in a dead swoon.
l awoke an hour later, and, mounting
my horse, rode madly to the house OF
my mamorata. fell heavily against
the door in another swoon. Thefam-
lily rushed out. After @ while / reeov.
cred and told my story. Next morn
ing the fair young girl, whom | idoliz.
ed froze me with her chill disdain-she
that had been so tender. / have rare
ly SMILED since. Isn't that the grave
yard, just ahead?"
"Y.y-y-yes. 1t is a comfort that
neither of US believe in s~pirits?"
"No," said May authoratively,
"there are no such things. Even if
they exist, they are perfectly harmless.
See what O. disadvantage my ghost
had me at. Hay in a swoon for an
hour, completely at his mercy, and
what harm did he do me? OF course
it would not become a poor finite be-
ing like Coleman Chisholm May to say
there are no ghosts; but rest assured
that If there are such things they are
harmless. What's that? Was that
a screech OWL"
81 didn't hear anything. What was
it hke?"
"I must have been mistaken" said
May. at was the wind moaning
among the graveyard shrubbery. In
TACT, ] am sure it was nothing"
At the same time Mays horse, a
rapid walker, began to forge a head
of Billups's.
"All right" said Billups, "it is be-
ginning to rain; we had better hurry
on. And l say, May, suppose you
stop at my house tonight in tact, /
insist"
"Did you hear anything then?" in.
quired May. "No? l can't imagine
what has gotten into me tonight.
Let's push on" and he struck off in q
canter. Billups kept his knee glued
to that Of the lawyer. The thunder
began to roll and the rain to pour.
"Do you notice anything" asked
May.
mo; what do you mean?"
Something breathing on my neckl'
at is because of our rapid pace"
"But it is on the back OF my neck.
UGH"
at must be your Imagination"
II dare say. There it ia again; ughl
ughl"
BY a singular coincidence Billups's
horse plunged violently forward just
at this juncture. May pushed on to
overtake him, and down the road
they dashed at a tearing gallop. A
negro man, standing for shelter under
q broad, spreading oak, heard the
mad clatter Of approaching hoofs.
Such q pace was nothing to wonder az
on such q night, but what surprised
him was that, as they passed him q
vivid flash Of lightning showed that
the horseman who was slightly IN the
real was tanning the neck Of his lead
er with his slouch hat. The figure oil
the man in front was bowed over the
pummei OF his saddle while the coun-
tenance OF the man with tho hat wore
q grin Of diabolical Joy.
Down the road the two riders thun.
dered, without a word. for a mile. AT
last May said: Thank heaven the
Internal thing has stopped breathing
on my neckls
"Bnt it is after mel" roared the